Clean Air Institute plays a key role at the International Seminar on the G20 and the Development Agenda

The G20 is a group of finance ministers and central bank governors from 20 major economies: 19 countries plus the European Union. Collectively, the G-20 economies account for more than 80 percent of the global gross national product (GNP) and world trade, and two-thirds of the world population. The G-20 Summit was created as a response both to the financial crisis of 2007–2010 and to a growing recognition that key emerging countries were not adequately included in the core of global economic discussion and governance. The summits are held once a year and this year Mexico will chair and host the leaders' summit in June.

Sergio Sanchez, Director of the Clean Air Institute, is participating in the International Seminar on the G20 and the Development Agenda held in Mexico City in 7th May. The main objectives this seminar are to: a) Report on the progress of the work of Development Working Group (DWG) under the Mexican presidency, prior to the main Leaders Summit; b) Promote open and substantive discussion on the role of G-20 in the international development agenda; c) Provide different organizations the opportunity to make final recommendations on the three priorities of the DWG (infrastructure, food security and green growth) before the Summit. Sergio will be one of two panelists at the round table event entitled “The Role of Infrastructure in the promotion of sustainable development”.

Infrastructure has been established as one of the major priorities of the Development Working Group (DWG) due to the consensus among policy makers, scholars, civil society advocates, and private sector executives that the provision of efficient infrastructure can function as a means to foster economic growth and reduce income inequality. During the Mexican presidency of the G20, one of the DWG agreements was to follow up on two new proposals to strengthen the capacity of the G20 to promote good practices in infrastructure. One is the report of best practices on the design and implementation of Urban Mass Transport projects in medium and large cities.

The roundtable on infrastructure will discuss the role that infrastructure plays on economic growth and social development; the importance of infrastructure and urban development for Low Income Countries; and the relevance of promoting sustainability criteria on infrastructure policies, especially in transport projects across developing countries. From a transport perspective Sergio will discuss efficient urban mass transit policies, regulations, norms, or programs that consider innovative actions towards maximizing social returns.